Workshop Wednesday: Electric Bunching Tie Dyeing

Hi Guys!

Today Freedom Marie's DIY Tutorial is on Electric Bunching Tie Dye. It's a rather easy technique that creates a beautiful effect. The dyes that I will be using are MX Reactive dyes that I purchased from ProChemicalandDyes.com. MX Reactive Dyes work on cotton, silk, rayon, and other plant fibers. These dyes are my favorite choice because they are vibrant and long lasting.

Here is a list of Supplies:

• Pro MX Reactive Dyes

• Pro Dye Activator

• Urea

• Synthrapol

• Measuring Utensils

• Gloves

• 2 gallon bucket

So the first thing that you need to do is pick the item that you want to dye. It can be an old stained shirt that needs some revamping or maybe that maxi dress you love but it has left over gypys dust from your barefoot frolicking. I chose to dye a %100 cotton jersey fabric that I will be making *scoodies out of and selling them on our Feedom Marie Etsy shop. Whichever item that you do choose, make sure that it will work with your dye of choice. Also keep in mind that the color of your item will effect the color of your dyes. If I dye something that is yellow with blue it will change the color to green.

Now that you know what you are going to dye and you have chosen what dyes that you are going to use it's time to prepare your fabric. The fabric must be cleaned of all impurities so that dyes will take.

Follow these steps:

1. Scour fabric by machine washing or by hand in a pot on the stove in water that is 140 degrees F. Add 1/2 tsp of Dye Activator and a 1/2 tps of synthprol for each pound of fabric. Rinse throughouly.

2. Create your Urea water by mixing 7 tsp of Urea with 1 cup of 110 degree F. water. Stir it up until all the balls are dissolved. Cool down urea water to room temperature before mixing dye powder. (Shelf life of about 5 - 7 days.)

3. Make the soak solution using 4 liters (hence the 2 liter soda bottle) of 110 degree F. water and 9 tbls of Dye Activatior. Stir it up good and than soak your fabric for about 10 minutes in it. While wearing gloves ring out your fabric and get ready to get your dye on!! (Throw out soak solution when it has an ammonia smell.)

4. Watch this video to get down with the get down with some Electric Bunching Tie Dye!

After following the rest of the steps mentioned in the video above here are the beautiful colors that I created!

Now that my fabrics are dyed, I am excited to finish creating the Freedom Marie reversible scoodies! If your interested in creating your own scoodie make sure to check out our blog "How to Make a Reversible Scoodie."

*Scoodie- a scarf with a hoodie.

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